Hobby horse base



June 11, 1963 M. A. BUYALOS, JR 3,09

HOBBY HORSE BASE Filed March 23, 1962 INVENTOR. MICHAEL A-BuvALos 32.

AT TORNE'YS United States Patent 3,093,356 HQBBY HGRSE BASE Michael A. Buyalos, Jr., Box 420, Rte. 2, Forest Glenn Drive Circle, Chester, Va. Filed Mar. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 182,072 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-194) This invention relates to hobby horses, and particularly to a supporting means therefor which resists overturning and tendency to creep.

In a popular, modern embodiment of the hobby horse, the animal figure is suspended from four tension springs which are anchored on the uprights of a supporting frame, an arrangement which permits bucking movements of the horse in a manner which is variable in direction and extent, as controlled by the rider, and which is therefore superior in its action to the old-time rocking horse, which was capable of only a bobbing movement, of fixed period. Obviously, the modern type is more suited to the skill and energies of the very young, especially males, but such devices also have objectionable features, among which is a tendency on the part of the users to overwork the device, resulting in painful upsets, and mar-red or broken furniture and other household effects.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a mount for hobby horses which will afford a secure anchorage. Another object is to provide a means for preventing overturning hobby horses, and also 'for preventing creeping movement. More particularly, it is an object to accomplish the foregoing without permanent type fastening means.

These and other objects, which will be apparent, are attained by the present invention, a preferred form of which is described in the following specification, as illustrated in the drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a hobby horse, with rider up, and mounted on a stand, or supporting frame, having anchoring means according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bracketed view, in perspective, of the anchoring means, with the parts exploded, and shown on an enlarged scale over that of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view through the anchoring means, taken on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, taken at right angles thereto, and showing a modified form of mounting for the anchoring means.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, there is shown, in FIGURE 1, a hobby horse 10, with four, laterally protruding pins 12, which respectively secure the inner ends of four, heavy duty tension springs 14, the outer ends of which are attached to the top ends of four uprights 16 of the supporting framework. As shown, the framework, which is conventional, and therefore forms no part of the present invention, of itself, is formed from two lengths of tubular material, joined in a central segment 18, with the tubes diverging in sections 20 at each end, and bent upwardly to form the uprights 16. In conventional usage the sections 18 and 20 of the framework would dwell directly on the floor or ground, a situation which leaves the device quite vulnerable to sliding about, tipping and overturning. To overcome these tendencies, I have provided a set of four suction cups 22, each mounted on one of the divergent sections 20, in strategic location for counteracting overturning movements.

As seen in FIGURE 3, the suction cups are of the usual form, with a bell-form cup 24 having an internal, domed cavity 26, and a protruding, central, cylindrical shank 28. The shank has a blind, axial bore 30, with a recess in its wall to receive a nut 32, and hold it against rotation and withdrawal. Nut 32 threadedly receives a bolt 34,

Patented June 11, 1963 ice which serves to connect the suction cup to a coupling means which engages the supporting framework of the hobby horse. The coupling means comprises a split strap having a flat base 36 with a central bore 38 to pass the shank of bolt 34, arcuate sides 40, of generally horseshoe form, with spaced, parallel, flat, terminal sections 42, suitably bored to receive a clamping bolt 44, equipped with a nut 46. The clamping strap is designed to be slipped over the divergent base sections 20 of the framework and clamped in place at selected positions thereon, preferably near the outer ends. In order to avoid metalto-rnetal contact,'and thus minimize wear and distortion, a cushioning sleeve 48 of rubbery material is first mounted on the tubular sections 20, and the coupling strap then clamped in place on the sleeve. This not only protects the metal parts, but provides a thorough, frictional engagement, which prevents sliding and rotation with only moderate clamping pressures. The sleeves may he slipped over the uprights and around the curves at the bottom corners, in which case they will be sized for a clearance affording an easy, sliding fit, or they may be provided in split form, for direct attachment to the sections 20.

With the suction cups in place, the weight of the hobby horse and its supporting framework will press the cups downward, exhausting air from the cavities, whereby pressure conditions strongly resist withdrawal and, therefore, any tendency of the framework to overturn, or even to rise from the supporting surface is defeated. In addition, due to the particular combination of a plurality of strategically placed cups in a system which is subject to forces directed in all three dimensions, it follows that the mounting is rarely, if ever, subject to a preponderance of force in a horizontal direction, and therefore sliding movement, or creep of the system is also eliminated. While the system can be released, without great difficulty, for movement about to different locations, yet the problem of releasing all four cups is attended with sutficient expenditure of time and effort to discourage wanton handling and juvenile vandalism, and therefore conducive to good order and preservation of property.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 4, sections 20 of the framework are provided with permanent, reinforcing, outer, metallic sleeves 50, which are put on during manufacture, and prior to bending of the upright sections 16 of the framework. A common, lateral bore is provided through sleeve 50 and section 20, to receive a long bolt 52, which is adapted to engage the captive nut 32 in the suction cup shank. If desired, the suction cups may be provided with lifting tabs for easy relief of pressure.

While certain, preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications will be apparent, in the light of this disclosure, and the invention should not, therefore, be deemed as limited, except insofar as shall appear from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a tubular, hobby horse framework of the type having a base with two sets of divergent segments, a sleeve of rubbery material carried on each of said segments, a split clamping strap having arcuate sides engaging each said sleeve, a pair of terminal tabs with aligned bores receiving a clamping bolt, and a flat base section with a bore receiving an attaching bolt, and a suction cup having a shank with a blind bore holding a captive nut, engaging said attaching bolt.

2. In combination with a tubular, hobby horse framework of the type having a base with spaced segments, a sleeve of rubbery material carried on each of said segments, a split clamping strap having arcuate sides engaging each said sleeve, a pair of terminal tabs with aligned bores receiving a clamping bolt, and a flat base captive nut, engaging said attaching bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Madden Ian. 23, 1912 Schafi Feb. 16, 1932 4 Treacy Mar. 19, 1940 Bach May 8, 1945 Cessford Dec. 7, 1954 Koller Aug. 14, 1956 Boham May 12, 1959 Thoeming June 2, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Mar. 14, 1951 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TUBULAR, HOBBY HORSE FRAMEWORK OF THE TYPE HAVING A BASE WITH TWO SETS OF DIVERGENT SEGMENTS, A SLEEVE OF RUBBERY MATERIAL CARRIED ON EACH OF SAID SEGMENTS, A SPLIT CLAMPING STRAP HAVING ARCUATE SIDES ENGAGING EACH SAID SLEEVE, A PAIR OF TERMINAL TABS WITH ALIGNED BORES RECEIVING A CLAMPING BOLT, AND A FLAT BASE SECTION WITH A BORE RECEIVING AN ATTACHING BOLT, AND A SUCTION CUP HAVING A SHANK WITH A BLIND BORE HOLDING A CAPTIVE NUT, ENGAGING SAID ATTACHING BOLT. 